Review: A Stay at Monastero Santa Rosa, Amalfi

The Amalfi Coast isn’t a place where you do things by halves. It’s all about big yachts, big hats and big budgets. Destinations don’t come much more bucketlist-worthy than this, so if you’re planning a dream trip to Amalfi, you want to make sure you’re staying in a hotel equally as breath-taking as the location it’s in. Let me introduce you to Monastero Santa Rosa, a glittering boutique jewel on a cliff edge on the Amalfi coast….

In a Nutshell

What makes Monastero Santa Rosa feel so charming is the history of the building it’s located in. Set in a restored 17th-century monastery on the sparkling Amalfi coast, the now-boutique hotel maintains many of the original features from when the building was a working monastery.

Arriving into Amalfi

Amalfi was the last stop on my recent Italian adventure, and with our reservation at Monastero Santa Rosa in the bag, I knew we had saved the best ‘til last. After taking 3 consecutive ferries from Ischia via Naples and Sorrento, my friend and I arrived at Amalfi Port looking slightly windswept and bedraggled. We couldn’t have been happier to see the chic Monastero Santa Rosa shuttle pull into the port, which is a free service available to all guests.

A Grand Entrance

A quick 10-minute trip along the winding coastal road and we had arrived at the entrance to Monastero Santa Rosa. A team of staff were waiting by the entrance, ready to ring the ceremonial bell. The bell is rung for every guest arrival and departure and is a tradition taken from the monastery days. It was completely unexpected and I love how it’s a ritual completely unique to Monastero Santa Rosa. They certainly made us feel like VIPs when we walked through the door.

We were given a cold towel and shown to an arrival balcony, where we were each given a cool cloudy lemonade, freshly squeezed from the hotel’s lemon trees (wow). As you can probably tell, we were off to a good start.

The View

Standing on that first balcony sipping on the refreshing and bitter lemonade felt like one of those ‘pinch me’ moments. The view was captivating and the sea twinkled in the sun. I couldn’t wait to explore more of the hotel.

The Room

After composing ourselves from our current ridiculous situation, my friend Nam and I were shown to our suite by one of the friendly hotel staff. With just 20 rooms and suites in total, the hotel feels very intimate. The walls of the individual nun’s rooms have been knocked through to create spacious rooms and suites, but the individual alcove doors of each room still remain along the corridors.

Each room is named after a herb that the nuns would have used for medicinal purposes, making it feel even more boutique and unique. Our superior suite, otherwise known as ‘Salvia’, had to be one of the best located in the whole hotel. On the top floor, it had a panoramic sea view and overlooked the iconic infinity pool.

Our suite would have been 3 individual nuns rooms, and you could still see the structure of the original rooms, which were divided into a living area, bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom had heated floors and with large shutter windows in every room, the sunlight poured in to every corner.

That Infinity Pool

Even if you haven’t heard of Monastero Santa Rosa before you may still recognise the iconic infinity pool. Deep blue in colour, this infinity pool quite literally takes you on to the cliff edge and looks as if it merges straight in to the sea. Being an adult-only hotel, the pool area is peaceful, relaxing and utterly idyllic. We didn’t get to spend much time here but if I had a few more days this where I’d have been.

Surrounding the pool there are perfectly manicured gardens with circular sunbeds, perfect for couples looking for a little more privacy and romance.

A Gym with a View

With a view like this, working out has never been so enjoyable. The fully equipped gym is completely ‘al fresco’ and is shaded by a thinly thatched roof. There’s a gorgeous sea breeze, so you won’t need much persuading to get your trainers on and work up a sweat (purely just to eat more carbs of course).

Our Last Night in Paradise

We were given a bottle of rose petal flavoured prosecco in our room as a welcome gift, so we took this out on to the sun terrace to enjoy. Whilst the location of the hotel doesn’t get the best sunsets, the sky lights up a magnificent hazy pink colour, which completely transforms the iconic panorama. As we sipped on our prosecco and took in our surroundings, it all felt very surreal.

On our final night at Monastero Santa Rosa we dined at Ristorante Il Reffetorio, the hotel’s signature restaurant. The menu brings a Mediterranean gastronomic experience with Michelin star service to match. The outdoor section of the restaurant looks out on to the glittering Mediterranean sea and even though I was with my best friend, we could appreciate just how incredibly romantic the setting was.

Everything from the food and the wine to the setting and the service was absolutely faultless at this restaurant (if you’re in Amalfi but not staying at the hotel, I would definitely recommend coming here for dinner).

Before departure we returned to the same restaurant for breakfast which had been transformed into a light and bright breakfast and lunch venue. White table cloths were removed to reveal charming mosaic tables and I loved the hand painted ‘buon giorno’ cappuccino cups.

The Verdict

Stepping into Monastero Santa Rosa feels like something out of a film. It’s the picture perfect Amalfi setting you dream of, and to see it in real life is something special. I’ve been lucky enough to stay at some pretty memorable hotels around the world, but Monastero Santa Rosa definitely makes it in to my top 3 hotels of all time.

What did you think of my experience at Monastero Santa Rosa? Are you think of planning a trip to Amalfi or have you experienced this hotel for yourself? If you enjoyed this post, please let me a comment in the box below x

Want to stay at this hotel? Click here to Book Monastero Santa Rosa with Mr & Mrs Smith and receive €50 spa credit

Disclaimer: My stay at Monastero Santa Rosa was complimentary as part of a press stay. All views are my own.

The Travelista is an award-winning UK luxury travel blog from Yorkshire via The World. Based in Leeds but frequently travelling, Jess loves to combine local and global adventures. All posts that are packed with advice and recommendations to help you plan your own trips.